5 services · San Francisco
Leaks, pipes & freezing in San Francisco, CA
Pipe problems range from a burst line that needs the water shut off right now to slow pinhole leaks that show up as a high water bill. A licensed plumber finds where the water is escaping, repairs or replaces that section, and tells you whether the rest of the piping is likely to follow.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Leaks, pipes & freezing services in San Francisco
Burst pipe repair
UrgentTurn off the main water shutoff first, then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines. A plumber cuts out the split section, replaces it, and checks the rest of that pipe run, because one freeze rarely damages only one spot.
Frozen pipe thawing
UrgentIf a faucet gives no water or only a trickle after a hard freeze, a pipe is frozen. Leave that faucet open, warm the area gently, and call a plumber if you can't find the frozen section or if it's inside a wall, because a split pipe will leak as soon as it thaws.
Leak detection
Turn off every fixture and watch the water meter's leak indicator. If it moves, water is leaking somewhere. A plumber uses pressure tests, acoustic listening and thermal imaging to find the leak so only a small section of wall or floor has to be opened.
Repiping
Repiping replaces a home's water supply lines, usually because old galvanized steel has corroded or polybutylene is at risk of failing. Most repipes today use PEX, take two to five days, and are done through small wall openings rather than gutting the house.
Water line repair
UrgentThe water service line runs from the curb stop near the street to your house, buried below the frost line. A leak shows up as a soggy patch in the yard, low pressure throughout the house, or a meter that never stops. Repair means finding the leak, then fixing that spot or replacing the line.
Local conditions
Leaks, pipes & freezing in San Francisco: what's different
Many San Francisco buildings are more than 100 years old, with supply lines added and rerouted over decades. Galvanized pipe in older Victorians and Edwardians corrodes from the inside, causing low pressure and leaks at old joints.
Hilltop homes can have low pressure, while homes at the bottom of steep streets may have pressure high enough to stress fixtures and pipes. SFPUC supplies Hetch Hetchy water, which is soft, so leaks and aging pipe matter more than scale. Repiping permits come from the Department of Building Inspection.
- Water and sewer in San Francisco
- The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) supplies Hetch Hetchy water and runs the city's combined sewer system.
- Permits in San Francisco
- Plumbing permits are issued by the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).
San Francisco housing and plumbing
Victorians and Edwardians in the Mission, Noe Valley and Pacific Heights have cast-iron and older drains, often with plumbing added over decades. The Sunset and Richmond have 1920s–1950s row homes with garages at street level.
Other San Francisco conditions that affect plumbing
- Owner-responsible laterals: Property owners are responsible for the sewer lateral to the main, including under the sidewalk, which is often clay or cast iron in older homes.
- Combined sewer system: San Francisco's combined sewers can back up into low basements and garages during heavy rain.
- Seismic requirements: Water heaters must be strapped, and gas shutoff valves are common upgrades.
- Hills and water pressure: Pressure varies a lot across San Francisco's hills, and some homes need pressure reducing valves or booster pumps to protect fixtures and water heaters.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover San Francisco and City and County of San Francisco, including Mission, Sunset, Richmond District, Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, Pacific Heights. ZIP codes: 94102 · 94103 · 94104 · 94105 · 94107 · 94108.
When to call a plumber in San Francisco
- Water spraying, dripping from a ceiling or pooling on the floor: shut off the main and call right away
- No water from some faucets on a very cold morning
- A water bill that jumped without a change in use
- The water meter moving when every fixture is off
- Warm spots on a slab floor, or the sound of running water in a wall
- Low pressure throughout the house or rusty water from older pipes
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the leaks, pipes & freezing guide.
Leaks, pipes & freezing questions in San Francisco
Why is water pressure so different between San Francisco homes?
Should I turn off the water if a pipe bursts?
More plumbing in San Francisco
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